Folding table



June 1934- I J. A. GRANSTRAND El AL 1,964,571

FOLDING TABLE Filed June 30, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l A TTORNE 1 w,

Patented June 26, 1934 UNITED STATES FOLDING TABLE John A. Granstrandand Lloyd A. Granstrand, Seattle, Wash.

Application June 30, 1933, Serial No. 678,366

3 Claims.

This invention relates to folding tables and has as one of its objectsto provide a table adapted for use as a card or similar table where thelegs may be folded against the top for com- 5 pactness when not in use,or for a camp table or the like requiring a portable table that willfold into a small space for transportation.

Another object of the invention is to provide rigidity in such a tableby utilizing a folding frame having substantial corners and providing tofold the legs against the frame.

A further object of the invention is to provide a folding table adaptedfor integral construction, or whose top may be separable from the frameand legs, and when integral having no extra or, detached partssusceptible of loss.

A further object of the invention is to provide a table that is simpleto fold and unfold; that is relatively cheap to manufacture; that issubstantial when in use; and that is light in weight for cheap andconvenient transportation.

With these and other objects in view reference is..now had to. theaccompanying drawings in w i h Fig. 1 is a perspective view of thefolding table shown in the erect position;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the table from below;

Fig. 3 is a similar view to Fig. 2 showing one step in the foldingoperation;

Fig. 4 is a similar View to Fig. 2 showing a fragment of the table andillustrating the second step in the folding operation;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation thereof showing the third step in the foldingoperation;

' Fig. dshows the legs and frame completely folded;

Fig 7 is an end view of the completely folded table;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a fragment of two side rails ofthe frameand a universal hinge in the open position and joining these twomenubers;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the universal hinge in the foldedposition; and i Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a hinge adapted formovement in a horizontal plane and showing a leg socket formed integraltherewith.

Having reference to the drawings like numerals refer to like partsthroughout the several views four separate side rails 5 that when joinedto gether at their ends will provide an open rectangular structure ofthe usual form for the purpose.

The side rails 5 are hingedly attached together that the frame may befolded into a relatively small bundle, and in a peculiar manner to beexplained, and to assistin providing for rigidity when in the openposition two, or one pair, of diagonally opposite corners of the frame,areimitered, as at 6, to prevent the frame folding in but one direction.

For this purpose each side rail is mitered at one endand to form amitered joint '7 two com.- plemental mitered ends are joined together bya hinge 8 that will permit of movement in a horizontal plane only, whilethe opposite or remain-. ing ends are joined with universal hinges 9positioned at diagonally opposite corners and. constructed to permitmovement both in a hori-. zontal plane to operate in. conjunction withthe first mentioned hinges,.and in a vertical plane, both of, whichhinges will be presently explained.

The side rails 5 are of substantially equallength and fold so that thebundle 10, formed by the side rails when folded, is equal in length toone of the side rails.

The hinges 8, applicable to the mitered cor-. ners of the frame, consistsubstantially of a strap hinge whose leaves 11 are adapted to be securedrigidly to the complemental ends of the side rails, and to one of theleaves adepending portion lZ is provided that when formed as shown inFig. 10 will provide a leg socket 13 which willLrest against the underside of the side rail for added strength. Additional bracing mayobviously be obtained by making the outer portion of the socket doublewidth as shown in Fig. 8.

This leg socket 13' is designed to receive a leg 3 pivotally mountedtherein through the medium of a pin representedas at 14 in Figs. 1, 3and 5, whereby the leg may be foldedto a position parallel with andcontiguous to its complemental side rail 5.

At the remaining corners there is provided a universal hinge 9, for eachcorner, which, consists of a substantially rectangular blank (not shown)that when formed as shown in Figs. 8 and 9 will provide a pair ofoppositely positioned side plates 15 adapted to be secured to theremaining end of one of the side rails by a rivet or other substantialsecuring means, represented as at 16 in Fig. 8.

The side plates 15 are continued downward to provide a second leg socket1'7 corresponding with the leg socket 13 of the strap hinge 8 abovedescribed and a portion of the body 18 of the blank is bent inwardbetween the side plates and provides a seat 19 upon which rests thesecured side rail for added strength and firmness.

Attached to or formed from the said body is a yoke socket 20 which whenseparate and adapted to be attached to the body will be of U shape andextended perpendicular therefrom, and when formed integral with the bodywill be extended downward from the leg socket and formed to a like shapetherewith and then the body portion will be bent back upon itself thusto extend this socket perpendicular therefrom as before.

A separate yoke 21 is now provided for engagement within the yoke socketand a pin 22 unites these two members to provide a hinge adapted formovement in a vertical plane, and a pivotal pin 23 is securedperpendicular to the cross bar 24 of this yoke, and upon this pin isrotatably and pivotally mounted the remaining end of the adjacent siderail for the folding movement in a horizontal plane thus providing foruniversal action, this side rail previously having its corner roundedadjacent the end of the complemental member, as at 25, for the purposeof horizontal movement.

It is now obvious that with strap hinges 8 at two diagonally oppositecorners of the frame and with universal hinges at the remainingdiagonally oppositely positioned corners that the frame 2, when in theopen position, will be as shown in Fig. 2; that the first movementin/the operation of closing or folding the frame will be in a horizontalplane and will form a diamond shape as shown in Fig. 3; that the secondmovement, also in a horizontal plane will close the frame by bringingthe two pairs of side rails parallel and together as shown in Fig. Landthat the dotted line representing the side rail in Fig. 8 shows thisstraightened position corresponding to that shown in Fig. 4; that takinga position perpendicular to the view in Fig. 4 the third movement willbe in a vertical plane which is shown in part in Fig. 5, with the finalmovement completely closing the frame to form the bundle 10 as shown inFig. 6.

When the frame 2 is in the open position the mitered corners (joint) '7maintain the rectangular form of the frame without preventing itsclosing, and to prevent untoward movement in the closing direction'acorner brace 26 is provided and is positioned at one corner of the frameas shown where it is attached and secured in the usual manner of suchbraces and where it is positioned to be enclosed between two side railswhen the frame is folded.

The usual legs 3 are provided to support the table and are disposed atone end of each side rail where they are hingedly mounted in the legsockets of the respective hinges in a manner to fold in a vertical planeagainst the respective side rails and are afforded the usual braces 27(shown only in Fig. 1), to brace the legs when the table is in the erectposition.

In Figs. 2, 3 and 4 the legs 3 are assumed to be in a vertical positionwith respect to the plane of the drawings and this is done only toprevent confusion in the views, it being the intent to fold the legs toplace before the side rails are manipulated for folding, although themethod shown of folding the side rails may obviously be utilized ifdesired.

The foldable sectional top 4 is provided to cover the frame and this topis formed of joined strips 28, preferably of wood or other lightmaterial, and each section or strip has a width that when the top iscollapsed about the folded frame and legs that it will wrap around thebundle 10.

For the purpose of wrapping the sections are secured together by a pairof supporting bands 29 rigidly attached to the underside of each sectionwhereby to provide a hinge joint between each strip whence folding maybe accomplished by starting with the narrowest strip (which strip isattached to the folded bundle) in the following manner:

In wrapping the folded frame is moved with a semblance of rolling whenthe strips of different widths will accommodate themselves to the heightand breadth of the bundle and successively to the first wrapped sectionsand continuing until all the strips are wrapped into a convenientcompleted bundle.

The supporting bands 29 are provided on their ends 30 with snapfasteners 31 and extend beyond the edge of the top to provide a lengthsufficient to enable the end to be brought around and under the siderail, as shown in Fig. 2, to be secured to a snap button 32 providedthere to receive the snap fastener.

It will be noted by reference to Fig. 3 that only one end of the bandsis extended, it is obvious however that by extending both ends of thebands that the top may be made detachable for securement to the frame asthe side rail resting over and adjacent the loose ends of the bands isnotched, as shown dotted at 33 in Fig. 3, and that a long button 341(shown in Fig. 2) is provided and is secured pivotally to the top andarranged for its ends to engage a slot 35 (shown in a curved dotted linein Figs. 2, 3 and 4) in the opposite side rails will secure thetopagainst the frame and prevent transverse movement respeotively.

With the table folded, or wrapped, obviously the ends 30 of the bandsare free and these free ends are utilized to secure the bundle in thewrapped position by other snap buttons 36 secured to the table top atthe level of the top surface thereof and they are so placed that at thecompletion of the wrapping process the snap fasteners 31 will be in aposition to register with these buttons 36 to secure the table when inthe bundle form.

In use, with the top rigidly attached to the side rail, and with thetable folded or wrapped, the snap fasteners 31 are released from thecomplemental snap buttons 36 when the table may be unwrapped as beforementioned.

After the top is unwrapped and in a flat position the side rails areunfolded in a reverse manner to that above described when the miteredjoints will form a stop that will automatically and securely registerthe frame with the perimeter of the top.

The bands are now secured about the side rails by the snap fastenerswhen the long button is also secured, the corner brace being thenpositioned to finally lock the frame into a rectangle or incorresponding shape with the table top.

The legs are next unfolded and their braces properly arranged when thetable is ready for use by inverting it upon its legs.

To fold up the table for transportation the reverse operation will wrapit into a small and secured bundle.

It is now apparent that a very desirable table is provided, moreparticularly from the fact that when made integral there are no extrapieces to become lost to render the table unfit for use; there are noprojecting parts to catch the clothes; the compact bundle can be readilytaken into the car rather than tied on the running board; its

compactness further permitting its storage on shelves rather thanagainst the wall on their edges as when used by lodges or largegatherings; where many bundles can be carried by one person on the arm;where it may be placed in position for subsequent unfolding by placementon its squared ends temporarily; and, by its simplicity in folding andunfolding.

Having thus described our invention we claim 1. A folding tablecomprising an open rectangular frame consisting of four side rails, eachside rail having one end mitered, hinges disposed to unite thecomplemental mitered ends of each pair of side rails at diagonallyopposite points of the frame, for foldable movement in a horizontalplane, universal hinges disposed to unite the remaining pairs of endscomplementally for foldable movement in a horizontal plane and avertical plane, means to secure the frame in the open position, legsattached to and foldable against their respective side rails, and asectional top securable to the side rails and adapted to wrap about saidside rails and legs when folded.

2. A folding table comprising an open rectangular frame consisting offour side rails, each side rail having one end mitered, hinges disposedto unite the complemental mitered ends of each pair of side rails atdiagonally opposite points of the frame, for foldable movement in ahorizontal plane, universal hinges disposed to unite the remaining endsof pairs of said side rails and consisting of side plates securable tothe remaining end of a side rail and extended to provide a leg socket, ayoke socket attached to said leg socket and provided with a yokepivotally mounted therein and adapted for movement in a vertical plane,and a pivotal pin attached perpendicular to the shoulder of said yokeand means to pivotally mount the complemental end on said pin, formovement in a horizontal plane, legs hingedly mounted in said hinges,and a sectional top mounted on bands securable to said frame.

3. A folding table comprising an open frame consisting of a plurality ofside rails hingedly attached together to form a rectangle when opened,and having one pair of diagonally oppositely positioned corners miteredto prevent folding but in one direction, and providing a hinge thereforfoldable in a horizontal plane, said hinge being provided with a legsocket, and providing a universal hinge for each remaining corner,foldable in two planes, a horizontal plane and a vertical plane, andprovided with a leg socket, legs hingedly mounted in each socket andfoldable against its respective side rail, and a sectional top securableto one side rail and provided with supporting bands securable to theopposite side rail, and adapted to wrap about said side rail and legswhen folded and be securely wrapped by said bands.

JOHN A. GRANSTRAND. LLOYD A. GRANSTRAND.

